clearcoat?
 

Ok I built and coverd an astro hog and I want to seal the covering,what are my options? I don't like the laquer you get at the hobby shops for airplanes,it doesn't go on smooth.I will be spraying it over 21 century fabric from coverite.does any one have any experience with polyeurathane from minwax?what about clear lauqer from auto part stores?
Thanks

RE: clearcoat?
 

I don't have any answers but I'm sure someone will so I want to follow this thread and I don't know of any other way than to respond. Thanks, Ron

RE: clearcoat?
 

I hav'nt sprayed that covering but reading between the lines the acrylic went on to dry for you.It's brittle as well and won't take raw fuel spills very well.Go to an automotive paint supplier.

RE: clearcoat?
 

The oil based polyurethanes will yellow in a short time. If your covering color is light it will be very noticable. You did not mention if your gas or glow and glow is a much larger problem than gas. I am currently using a water based polyurethane by the name of Cabot. It is the only one so far that I have tried that resists glow fuel and seems to be far better than Minwax Polycrylic which is water based and some have used with a great deal of sucess. Cabot just seems much better. Whatever one you choose do some testing to be satisfied with the results. Remember with water based use thin coats and let them dry completely. Warbird Colors also sells a clear coat with a cross linker to make the clearcoat very fuel resistant. You could go this way and just be safe, although more out of pocket. I seem to enjoy the testing process.

Hope this helps,

JEB:D

RE: clearcoat?
 

I have heard clear nail polish works well. If I cant find something else that I have in a tin in the next two days, I will give it a try and report.

RE: clearcoat?
 

I like the paint job. It's the first time that I have seen a plane painted in this fashion.

RE: clearcoat?
 

As BPS said, oil base poly WILL yellow on you in about 6 months. Not to noticeable on dark colors, but VERY noticeable on light colors.

Water base poly is GLO FUEL RESISTANT, NOT FUEL PROOF. I have tried several different brands of water base poly and they all do pretty much the same thing. 1st of all, you need to let the poly dry for a MINIMUM of 7 days before exposing it to exhaust residue. 2nd, if you don't clean the plane right away, after ABOUT 4 hours, the exhaust residue WILL start to soften the poly clear coat.

For a FUEL PROOF clearcoat I highly recommend Ultracote clear (if you can find any) OR "Dupli-Color Acrylic Enamel Premium Automotive Formulation". This comes in a black rattle can and I have only been able to find it in auto supply stores.

I did a test panel with this Dupli-Color over red latex paint. Let the clearcoat dry for 5 days, then set it up 18" from the muffler of a running 46 2 stroke. I let it sit in the exhaust flow/stream for a full (8 oz) tank of 15% nitro (about 10 -12 minutes). Checked the clearcoat and it was fine. Let the panel sit ovenite, then cleaned it off. Everything was still good. The only thing I did not do was dump some raw fuel on it and let it sit.

Hope this is of some help.

RE: clearcoat?
 

Does the dupli color go on smoother then topflight? I sprayed some wheelpants and landing gear with topflight clear and it kinda had a texture to it,even putting it on a little wet.as far as the minwax stuff i'm scrapping the idea,I don't wanna yellow airplane.and also I'm trying to find a color that matchs coverite fabric light red,I emailed coverite but they haven't got back to me yet.I't seams the don't make paint anymore.

RE: clearcoat?
 

No, Coverite doesn't make it any more but they will direct you to who does and even give you the paint number.
They don't work weekends.

RE: clearcoat?
 

One of our club members really likes the paints sold by Jerry Nelson
http://www.nelsonhobby.com/paint.html
The paint is made by System Three Resins. You can buy their products from various paint suppliers.
Nelson buys in quantity and sells it in half-pint and pint bottles.
You have to brush it on or use a spray gun.
Read about it on the web site, and possibly call Jerry, to get enough info to make a decision.

RE: clearcoat?
 

Thanks carrellh, I will check them out.By the way I am doing my astro like yours red with white sunburst.I need the paint for the headreast and firewall.What did you cover yours with?

RE: clearcoat?
 

Lets see if I can get a pic of my hog up.

RE: clearcoat?
 

You may already be aware of this, but 21st Century Fabric does not need to be sealed. The weave is tight enough to allow easy cleaning, after a full day of flying.

RE: clearcoat?
 

What makes me want to seal it is that I used a piece of white to patch a trainer and after a few flights it started to turn pink from the red fuel,and also I want to keep the white trim from pulling off the plane.

RE: clearcoat?
 

Doubt if I will be of any help but will add my 2 cents anyhow. First of all what did you use to paint it? Important since whatever you seal it with has to be compatible to it. I haven't covered and painted a plane in many years but back then we all used airplane dope. It can be brushed or sprayed by thinning. You must use butrate not nitrate for fuel proofing.

RE: clearcoat?
 

the coverite already comes in color,I guess it's prepainted.I think I will do some testing with duplicolor clear spray.

RE: clearcoat?
 

From there Q&A's site:
Can I paint over 21st Century Fabric? Can I clear coat over my decals, graphics, etc?
21st Century fabric is pre-painted with Coverite 21st Century paint. Therefore you can comfortably and assuredly use 21st C paint over the fabric for trim, graphics, or use the clear for sealing. Additionally, the 21st C flat clear does a great job of creating a flat looking finish over your painted fabric.

21st C paint is not known to be compatible with any other brands of paint so we STRONGLY recommend against using other paints on your 21st Century fabric.

RE: clearcoat?
 

Please post the result of your tests. I'm planning to use DupiColor over this fabric as trim color.

It;s too bad the 21st Century paint is no longer available. It would make this process much easier, when worrying about compatibility problems.

RE: clearcoat?
 

Mine is covered with Ultracoat. I paid a guy to build the kit.
After it was done, I found some old Chevron "Perfect Paint" at the LHS that matched the Ultracoat almost exactly. I painted the cockpit and engine compartment with it.

RE: clearcoat?
 

I will let you know how it turns out but first I still got to find some matching red to paint the headrest and firewall.I think I am going to go to sherwin williams paint stior this week and see what they have that will work under clearcoat without lifting the paint.I think all they sell is waterbase paint,mabe that will work.Does dulicolor come in 12oz cans?

RE: clearcoat?
 

Yes, DupliColor comes in 12oz cans. I also saw smaller containers, at Auto Zone.

RE: clearcoat?
 

Where can you get 21st Century paint? I have used it in the past with great results but I thought they discontinued it??

RE: clearcoat?
 

You can't get 21st century paint no more,I asked the company.I got some red enamel and started to mix my own to match the covering,it's close so it will have to do.mabe I will get around to painting it this week.

RE: clearcoat?
 

Lusterkote (Lustercrap??) has several "difficulties". It LOVES TO SPIT, and the colors of the paint FREQUENTLY do not match the covering and it is very sensitive to humidity levels (many paints are sensitive to humidity, but Lusterkote seems to take the sensitivity to extremes). As for the textured appearance, it SOUNDS like your spraying from too far away. If you were using a spray gun, I would say your pressure was too high. I have not had any problems with the Dupli-Color texturing on me.

As for your color paint, an option would be to bring a sample of the covering to a paint store and have it custom mixed.
Since it is a red, automotive paint IS going to be expensive. You may want to look at a latex and then clearcoat it.

RE: clearcoat?
 

I tested Duplicolor DS125 Clear Top Coat before using it on a new plane recently and thank goodness I did. Raw fuel turned it to sticky GOO. Campy you're the man when it comes to paint but I have to say Duplicolor DS125 is NOT compatible with glow engines in my experience.